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5 Construction Industry Trends That Will Carry Over Into 2019

Looking at the construction industry trends and predictions and see which ones are shaping up. Keeping on top of new and emerging trends in the construction industry keeps your company from falling behind and prepares you for the future. 2018 was an interesting year, with many advancements in technology. With the continuing growth and evolution of the construction industry, companies must stay up-to-date if they want to remain competitive. Here are 5 construction industry trends that will carry into 2019.

Technology Advancements and Integration

The construction industry has always been slow to jump into new technology; however we all know technology is a trend that isn’t going away. Construction project management software is getting better and better with more features. Many project management solutions are bundling scheduling, project management, and time in order to better serve construction companies. As these programs get better, this industry trend will carry over into 2019.

However, the technological advancements in the construction industry aren’t limited just to software. Drone usage is becoming more popular with construction companies as drones themselves become cheaper. Drones and aerial photography are useful for getting photographs and video of the landscape. They are increasing safety around the job site and can add more information to survey data.

Not only is the technology getting better, there are more options available than ever giving contractors the ability to get drones, and other construction technologies at lower costs.

Green Technology in Construction

Green construction has seen massive growth in the past few years with more and more buildings and plans are incorporating green technology into their construction process. Green construction is a way of building projects in an environmentally responsible in a resource-efficient way. Covering from planning to design, to construction, maintenance, and demolition.

With the construction industry accounting for about 20% of global emissions and an expanding global population, there is a need for more buildings. By constructing environmentally friendly buildings and focusing on the longevity of the building, it is better for the environment and helps hit government pollution targets.

Along with green construction methods, there is an increase in research into green construction. With carbon scrubbing building facades, bricks made of recycled cigarette butts, thermally driven air conditioners and asphalt that will heal itself. This increase in green technology is part of the construction industry trends that will continue.

Increase in Modular and Prefabricated Construction Projects

Part of the construction industry trends we’ll continue to see into 2019 will probably be modular and prefabricated construction projects. Modular construction companies are making the news, in part because of the rate at which they can build residential and commercial buildings. Modular construction is a prefabricated approach to building repetitive structures. So office buildings, hotels, apartments and other such buildings are great for modular and prefabricated buildings.

Prefabricated and modular construction is a rising trend because of the amount of material, time, and flexibility of it. Modular construction has the ability to save companies a lot of time and money. Because units are built off campus in a factory, companies do not have to worry about the weather. The units also recycle material they don’t end up using or even excess material. This helps cut back on waste which is currently undergoing a big push at the moment. And they can build units that meet your exact specifications quickly and easily.

Project Management Solutions

Along with all the technological advances that are here, construction project management software is a trend that will carry into 2019. The number of companies producing their own modules for current project management solutions has increased within the last couple of years. So too has the number of companies that are creating construction project management solutions.

Company owners have better software options then a couple years ago. Not only are the user interfaces easier to use, but there are more options. Project management solutions now can have a time solution, equipment rentals, change orders, and other more traditional project management options. With all of these changes, it is easier for construction companies to manage their projects. Project management software can keep all documents related to the project in one location, which can help subcontractors and contractors get paid at the end of a project.

Building Information Modelling

Building information modelling, or BIM, is another growing construction industry trend that will carry over into 2019. BIM is a way of representing buildings, roads, and utilities. It is a process of generating and managing computer representations of the projects before they are built. Architects and engineers can use the models to show how building materials will hold up overtime. And owners can create maintenance schedules with BIM models.

BIM is proving to be a useful tool in construction. It not only can better predict job costs, but companies that use BIM can tell if the project is possible. Sometimes there isn’t enough space for HVAC needs, or predetermined pieces won’t fit and will need to be reordered. BIM can be used to build better projects.